Increase of poor children in Norway

Dec 16, 2010 12:00 AM

Norway is one of the world’s most wealthy nations. However, the number of Norwegian children living under the poverty level has doubled over the last 5 years, a new study reveals.From 2005 to 2010 the number of children in Norway living under the European Union’s poverty level has increased from 50.000 to 100.000, according to a study performed by the Norwegian research foundation FAFO. 2010 has been the European year for fighting poverty and social exclusion, but still the number over people under the poverty level kept rising also through this year.EU considers all families which consist of two adults and two children and with a joint yearly income of less than EUR 43.000 after income tax, as under the poverty level. In Norway both average salaries and general costs are among the highest in the world, and thus the poverty level also is set high.

FAFO researcher Tone Flotten says to Norwegian Newspaper Aftenposten that almost half of the Norwegian children with providers who are without permanent work, are considered to be poor.- The main reason for the increase of poor children is the increase in immigrants where the adults have problems getting permanent work, according to Flotten.The positive finding in the study is that most of the poor children stay in this group only for a short period, because the parents most often find work after some time.

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